Making coffee is an art. The Italians specialize in making fast, high-quality espresso with their state-of-the-art sophisticated machines, while the Turks individually boil the water for each coffee, using traditional methods that have been around for centuries. Each style of coffee tastes smooth and fantastic, leaving the drinker invigorated and ready for the day. Although both served in gorgeous teensy ceramic cups, the two types of coffee look quite different. Turkish coffee is always very dark and earthy, leaving a layer of ground coffee at the bottom of the cup which the sipper must be careful to avoid, while the Italian coffees often artistically use milk and come in many varieties. The Italian cappuccinos have a fluffy layer of foam and usually a fine sprinkling of cinnamon or chocolate powder, and the milk swirled into the macchiatos is gorgeously patterned on the top of the espresso shot. It is fascinating observing and experiencing how differently coffee evolved in these two different countries. Coffee originally spread from the Middle East to Italy, meaning that the Turks regularly drank coffee long before Italians, but the art has been shared to become a trademark of both countries alike.
But beyond its physical appearance, coffee strengthens social bonds. Having the same barista make your coffee every morning becomes a very personal experience. I remember how happy I was when the barista at my beloved Caffe DiMarzio automatically started making my daily morning drink, a doppio macchiato, when he saw me enter the Caffe. Everyone who worked at the Caffe always pleasantly smiled and asked me how I was doing and my plans for the day in “bella Roma.” I felt truly welcome in a country where I spoke about five words of the language. Although I wasn’t in Turkey long enough to establish a true coffee routine, I loved going to the Simit Palace and drinking a coffee hand-prepared by the woman working behind the counter. I loved how she would always smile at us while she made the coffee, despite the fact that we were so ignorant of Turkish customs and language.
Despite the cultures and the people of Italy and Turkey being completely different, everyone shares the common ground of loving good coffee. People in both countries ritualistically come to the same coffee shops every morning, getting to know the baristas. Unlike in the United States where we generally get our coffees to go from a drive-thru, Turks and Italians allow themselves a refreshing pause every morning to enjoy their caffeine, whether it be with a cornetto or a simit. Those who prepare coffee at home similarly give themselves time to enjoy the morning with family, something that seems almost necessary for sanity in our manic modern lives. Interacting with friends and family and remembering to care about them is all too forgotten, and taking the time to savor a freshly made coffee and socialize is the perfect way to remain grounded and relaxed.
